Voyages Begin With A Ship
by Dragon'sHost
Summary: Cobra discovers an odd intruder on his ship. Armada project: 1/365


**For those of you who read my _Ships Of The Dragon_ fic collection, you will recognize this fic. Since the original purpose of that collection is pretty much moot at this point, I'm reuploading everything as separate oneshots. This also allows me to turn them into a longfic if I ever get the urge to do so (though we'll see if it actually happens, given how much is on my plate right now).**

 **Without further ado, here is the original first ship of my Armada project. I'm delighted to show it off for everyone once again, ahaha! I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

"So... what is a brat doing skulking about on a ship in dry-dock at this late hour? By herself, no less."

The young woman sitting across from him in the captain's cabin flinched at his harsh words, balling up her skirts with clenched hands. She was young, and blonde, dressed too finely to be working class, so at a glance he assumed new wealth, or low nobility. He'd dealt with enough of that ilk to pick out the mannerisms, even when they were borne by a petrified lass who was definitely not anywhere near where she should be at this hour.

Cobra didn't particularly blame her for being terrified - it was a rather reasonable reaction to his less-than-gentile features. The dim light from the single lantern probably wasn't doing his visage any favors, what with his pointed ears, dark skin, red hair, and missing eye, he imagined that he seemed more demon than human at this moment. The early hour was also not improving his countenance; what earthly reason did anyone have to be wandering the shipyard at this unholy hour, disturbing his last minute touch-up work?

"I... I have my reasons," the interloper stammered out, though it only took a moment for her to regroup completely, her dark eyes flashing with challenge. "And why are _you_ here? Do _you_ have a good reason to be loitering around here?"

He snorted at her audacity. "Nice try, but she's my ship. No one is going to question why _I'm_ here."

"That's not true! It's not your ship!" she blurted out, indignation straightening her spine and lifting her chin.

"Oh? And who are _you_ to say _that_?" Cobra mocked.

She remained silent, teeth worrying her lip and a flush darkening her cheeks.

"Are you going to spit it out or not, kid."

"I am not a child!" she snapped, as he had predicted she would. "I am eighteen!"

Really, this one was too easy to manipulate. She would have been in a lot of trouble if someone else had caught her sneaking about. "Yeah, you're still a kid as far as I'm concerned. One who seems to think she's far more clever than she really is." Cobra smirked at her fury, bubbling over like a pot left boiling too long. "Out with it. Before I call the night watchman."

Recoiling at the suggestion, she shook her head furiously. "Please... please don't do that!" she begged.

"So you _are_ a thief, then."

"No!" Her protest was loud enough to make him wince. Taking note of his discomfort, she lowered her voice. "I... Well _I'm_ the owner of this ship. Not you."

"...I beg your _fucking_ pardon?"

She shifted uncomfortably at his crass language - well too fucking bad for her. He was denizen of the docks, not some hoity-toity upper class cry-

"The Heartfilia Konzern commissioned this ship's construction," she explained. "So it's ours, and I have every right to inspect it whenever I please."

" _Bullshit_."

She sputtered. "W-what?!"

"Okay first of all Blondie, let me enlighten you to one very important fucking contract stipulation." When she opened her mouth to further protest, he cut her off. "This ship ain't the Konzern's until I hand it over. As the shipwright, she belongs to me. Once I hand her over and collect my final payment, then she belongs to the Konzern. But for now, she's mine, along with the liability should a bumbling blonde accidentally destroy something important, so I'll ask once again... who the fuck are you?"

"L-Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

"...Great. Wonderful. An entitled heiress." Not that he hadn't figured that out already, but having it confirmed just made it worse somehow. "Just what I fucking needed tonight. Now why the fuck are you bothering me and my ship so early in the cursed morning?"

"I wanted to see her before she gets put in the water."

He gave her a hard stare. She thought that the best time to do that was at _night?_ When she could barely see anything at all? "Congratulations, you've seen her. I suggest you beat it." The sooner she was out of his hair, the better. Then he could finish his own inspections and get some shut-eye before hauling his ass back here.

"I..." Lucy hesitated. Just what was keeping her from leaving him alone? Somehow he doubted it was his scintillating company.

"Come back in the morning, like a _proper human being_ , and I'll give you a tour." The offer was out of his mouth before he'd even fully processed the thought. Why was he inviting her back. She was pretty enough, but... so damn annoying, and she couldn't take a hint to save her life.

"...Thank you. I would like that." The smile that spread across her face was genuine, and soft. "Oh, wait!" she added. "What... what is your name?"

"Erik. Though most just call me Cobra."

"Erik," she repeated, testing the name. "Thank you."

"Don't fucking mention it. No, seriously don't. Your father would probably set the watch on me for meeting you at this time of night. Seriously, what were you thinking, Lucy?"

She stared at him, her mouth agape and eyes wide.

"What the hell is that face for."

"You said my name!"

"GET OUT."

* * *

"Good afternoon, Erik!" a chipper voice called out to him, and Cobra looked up into amber-brown eyes, sparkling with cheer.

"...Great. You again." At least this time she was wearing slightly better attire to be on a ship. Truth be told, she was later than he'd expected her to be. She must have slept in. Lucky little... "What do you want."

"Wow, you're just as surly in the afternoon as in the morning."

Was she teasing him? She was teasing him. Since when were they so familiar with each other? "Wrong. I am not human in the morning."

Lucy giggled, and it wasn't... quite as annoying as he thought it might be.

Cobra stood from the small table, and stretched. "...Well are you coming or not?"

"What?"

"I did promise you a tour."

Her entire countenance lit up, and she fell into step with him quickly.

His eye could use a break anyway from staring at the plans, and his legs were itching for him to move about.

The shipwright spent the next couple of hours in the company of the Heartfilia heiress, showing her how the ship was put together, the function of each bit of rigging, how each sail changed they way she would cut through the water, and answering the never-ending flow of questions Lucy sent his way. Some of them were even half-way decent. Cobra was beginning to suspect she was more than just inspecting her merchandise - her excitement betraying her genuine interest in the topics. He couldn't help but wonder if this entire farce was just to satiate her curiosity, or if there was something more to it.

"Thank you for the tour," Lucy said as it came to an end. She leaned against the railing on the fore deck, and smiled at him. "I had a lot of fun."

"You certainly never seemed to run out of questions," Cobra observed, joining her there. He ran a hand over the polished, wooden railing, checking for imperfections in the coating.

Lucy watched him quietly for a moment. "I only have one question left for you."

"Out with it, then."

"Do you love this ship, Erik? The way you talk about her... it sounds like a doting parent."

His hand stilled, and he turned to face her properly. "What makes you think that?"

"Because you can't create something without having feelings for it, be they good or bad." Her expression was bittersweet, and her gaze went through him to somewhere far from where they stood. Then she gave a small shake of her head, and her keen, curious eyes once more focused on him. "With the way you defended her to me last night, and hearing you talk about all of her good points..."

"I could just be selling you the ship," Cobra pointed out. "You are, after all, the buyer."

Lucy just continued to smile at him.

Cobra glanced away from the uppity brat, towards the ocean. So close, and so far.

"I drew the plans for her," he stated absently, "helped carve each piece of lumber, put her together part by part. I oversaw every aspect of her creation, her birth from drawings on parchment to her realization as a seaworthy vessel. So yeah... I'm attached to her."

"Did you name her? A proper parent gives their children a name."

He shook his head. "No. What to call a ship is left up to the buyer. Another part of the purchase, as it were."

"That may be the case, but somehow I doubt that you don't have a name for her. So spill it. What's her name? The true name given to her by her father?"

Cobra hesitated. To lay claim to the name was to also lay claim to greater heartbreak at the eventual parting.

But then, Cobra had always been prone to making things difficult for himself, and he wasn't about to change that part of himself now.

"...Cubellios."

"Cubellios... that's a beautiful name," Lucy said. "Does it have a meaning?"

"Only to me. It was the name of a friend that saved me more times than I can count." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Haven't seen her in years, though. No idea where she's at now." That wasn't quite the truth. In reality, he didn't want to look. Didn't want to dredge up painful things. It had been too long, and she was far better off without him dragging her down.

"I see. I'm sorry for that."

"It has nothing to do with you."

"I'm sorry all the same." And she seemed to genuinely mean it. "Friends are worth more than anything in the world. I will cherish this ship of yours, with such an important namesake."

He couldn't help snorting at her pronouncement. The blonde was placing a great deal of importance where it wasn't necessary. "Speaking of..." he said with a smirk, "if I really am a doting parent, then this father would very much like to know what a merchant company plans to do with his daughter. After all... she is no trading vessel. Her draft is far too shallow, and the armament requirements far in excess of normal besides. What are you planning to do with a ship built for a fight?"

"She's not a warship, if that's what you're implying," Lucy was quick to reassure him. "Nor is she slated to be an adventurer." She shook her head, and grinned at him. "No... her purpose is to be an escort ship, if I'm remembering correctly! Since pirating has been on the rise as of late, my father decided that a newer, stronger escort ship was needed to help protect our cargo fleet. So I guess I would have to say that she's not a warrior, but a guardian."

It was a long moment before Cobra was capable of responding. "...I think her namesake would like that."

"I'm happy to hear that." They stood in contemplative quiet for a bit, neither of them breaking the comfortable atmosphere between them. In the distance, the sun descended ever lower on the horizon. It wouldn't be too much longer before Lucy would have to return to the Konzern.

"Erik." Lucy glanced at him. "You know... most ships carry an experienced shipwright with them to supervise and perform necessary repairs on a long voyage. Have you considered possibly... sailing with her?" she suggested, a note of hope in her voice. "Then you wouldn't have to leave her, and I can see that parting would be very painful for you."

"Can't."

"Can't? Well why not?"

What did it matter to her?

"...I get... sick," he admitted slowly.

"...Come again?"

"Ships, carts, horses... anything that moves, I get sick on. Wouldn't be able to sail - I'd spend most of my time vomiting over the side." It wasn't something he cared to announce, though it was far from a secret. Every person on his crew knew of his issues, but not that many outsiders did.

So then... why was he telling Lucy?

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "That is definitely... not pleasant."

"You fucking think?" This time, his words lacked their usual bite, and he grinned at her.

Lucy smiled at him, though it was crafty, and well-worthy of a merchant heiress. "Still... I think you should consider my offer. Having the person that crafted her on board would be more advantageous than hiring out, and it would be simple to convince my father. So think about it at least? Somehow... somehow I think that maybe on Cubellios, you wouldn't become ill. After all... she's your friend, not a vehicle."

Cobra laughed at the notion. But it would be a lie to say that he wasn't considering it. At least a little.

"I'll think about it."


End file.
